Mt. Etna (Monte Etna) Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Mt. Etna. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Etna Morning Trip

• Mt. Etna and Taormina Village Full-Day Tour from Catania

• Etna Tour in 4x4

• Mt. Etna Nature and Flavors Half-Day Tour from Catania

• Etna Excursion 3000 Meters with 4x4 Cable Car and Trekking

Mt. Etna prices vary, depending on how high up the volcano you wish to go. Cable car tickets, which take you up to 8,200 feet (2,500 meters), currently cost €54 for adults and €30 for kids ages 5–10. Tickets that include a 4-wheel-drive trip up to 9,020 feet (2,750 meters) cost €78 and €50, respectively, while winter tours with a snowcat ride to the same elevation cost €89 and €50.

Yes, Mt. Etna is worth visiting. One of Sicily's most emblematic and impressive natural sights, the UNESCO–listed volcano is also one of the world's most active. While it's visible from nearby destinations such as Catania and Taormina, Etna demands to be explored up close (as long as it's not currently expelling lava, of course). A range of guided tours take visitors safely up the slopes and typically include round-trip transportation; some even offer bonus stops at area wineries or eateries.

Per one customer who booked the Etna Morning Trip, "This was a great experience. The tour guide picked us up from our hotel and was very knowledgeable. She shared so much interesting information about Mount Etna and Catania and even showed us videos from past eruptions. She also got us some local wine to taste, which was a nice surprise. The group was very fun and international. Mount Etna is breathtaking and incredibly beautiful. Highly recommended!"

While you can still explore much of Mt. Etna on your own, tour guides can promise a safer experience and take you to the highest craters at about 10,800 feet (3,300 meters) above sea level. Without a guide, you can only reach about 9,500 feet (2,900 meters). Hike up or buy Mt. Etna (Monte Etna) tickets for the cable car.

During the winter and fall on Mt. Etna, you should wear heavier clothing for cold, and possibly wet, weather: a jacket, gloves, and a hat. In the spring and summer, wear comfortable walking clothing and a light jacket. No matter when you visit, always wear shoes you feel comfortable hiking in.

Yes, there are public bathrooms with toilets at Mt. Etna. You can find them at either end of the cable-car line (Funivia dell'Etna) running from the Rifugio Sapienza to the craters, at the gift shop at Montagnola, and in cafes and restaurants on the road up the mountain.

Hiking boots are highly recommended for Mt. Etna as the terrain is often steep and passes over layers of volcanic sand. You can ride the cable car (Funivia dell'Etna) from Rifugio Sapienza to the lower craters and walk the paved paths without hiking boots, but taking on any trails requires sturdy shoes.

How long it takes to walk Mt. Etna depends on where you start. From the end of the cable car line, the hike to the summit, the highest point in Sicily, takes about six hours round-trip. From Piano Provenzano on the north side of the mountain, the round-trip hike to the summit can take 8–10 hours.

There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting Mt. Etna. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Sicily:

• Taormina Piazza Duomo

• Palermo Cathedral

• Noto

• Isola Bella

• Valley of the Temples

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Sicily.